Altoona Flower Shop News
Fresh Flowers By Fine Things opens downtown - Newton Daily News
Tuesday, August 15, 2017Last month, Prendergast debuted Back Alley Beauty by Fine Things, and now the fresh flowers and full-service florist will just add to the shopping experience.Prendergast said the idea took off when Altoona Floral and Gifts offered her and the flower shop’s co-owner, Shawna Wanders, an “incredible” deal.The shop now employs two part-time florists, Wanders and Danielle Simbro and a friendly delivery guy, Clayton Bentley. The store also offers online orders.When customers come in, Prendergast said they will meet in the store, which offers a fun and calming vibe.“We have already met with brides who are planning wedding and families who are planning funerals, and they really need some time to relax,” Prendergast said. “We really want it to be fun and not stressful.”Prendergast said she and Wanders have known each other for the last 10 years and were co-workers at a previous job.“She is amazing,” Prendergast said. “I wouldn’t have done this without her.”After accepting the offer to take over the business, Prendergast said she received a great clientele from Altoona.“I think you really need a good base to start with,” Prendergast said.From there, Prendergast said they re-designed the basement to be the flower shop, put in a walk-in cooler and design area.“This is where all the designing happens,” Prendergast said. “We also have a grab-and-go flower cooler upstairs in the store.”Prendergast said the idea behind the store was to bring fresh, affordable flowers to locals.“Whene... http://www.newtondailynews.com/2017/08/02/fresh-flowers-by-fine-things-opens-downtown/au9r3sz/
This Valentine's Day bittersweet for DuBois floral designer - Clearfield Progress
Tuesday, February 21, 2017Street Florist in DuBois, worked her last Valentine’s Day in DuBois yesterday.She is moving out of the area because her husband, Jim Long, has a new job. He will be opening a new Wingate hotel in the Altoona area. He has been the manager of the Hampton Inn in DuBois the last 15 years.With 32 years in the floral design field at various floral shops, Lissa Long has worked at Brady Street Florist for the last 11 years.“It’s kind of bittersweet because I don’t know what I’m doing after this season,” she commented.She has enjoyed working as a floral designer because of the variety of the job.“Every holiday is different,” she said. “This is the rose holiday. Christmas is pine. Mother’s Day is Mother’s week. It’s not just a day.”She likes working with the signature flower of Valentine’s Day.“I enjoy the roses,” she commented.In DuBois, she said, Valentine’s Day is “very busy.”She noted that the floral shop delivers to a wide area. She said Valentine’s Day is very popular in DuBois.“People like to get flowers at work, that makes it even more special.”She said there are a lot of male customers this year for Valentine’s Day. She doesn’t know the exact reason.“We’ve just noticed a lot of men as walk-ins.”In DuBois, she said the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts are red roses; mixed bouquets; lilies, for fragrance; and candy, as we... http://www.theprogressnews.com/business/this-valentine-s-day-bittersweet-for-dubois-floral-designer/article_71db4fb5-b4d2-51e4-80fc-54a58e266c5d.html
Benos Flowers and Gifts wants to bring fun, happiness - The Gazette
Tuesday, February 05, 2019By Deborah Neyens, correspondent Long Para:0 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- IOWA CITY — A new Iowa City business aims to spread happiness.Long Para:1 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- Benito Ocampo Campos opened Beno’s Flowers and Gifts on Nov. 15 in downtown Iowa City, realizing a longtime goal to own his own flower shop. Long Para:2 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- “Flowers bring happiness, with their smell and their colors, when people receive them,” Ocampo said. “Everyone loves flowers.”Long Para:2 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- Ocampo, who grew up in Mexico, opened his first business in that country at the age of 19.Long Para:3 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- “It was a small gift shop — only about 300 square feet,” he recalled. “I did decorations with balloons for parties and a few weddings with flowers but not much. I had no experience.”Long Para:4 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- A year or two later, Ocampo moved to... https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/business/iowa-city-benos-flowers-floral-shop-florist-flower-20190121
Benos Flowers and Gifts wants to bring fun, happiness - The Gazette
Tuesday, January 22, 2019By Deborah Neyens, correspondent Long Para:0 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- IOWA CITY — A new Iowa City business aims to spread happiness.Long Para:1 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- Benito Ocampo Campos opened Beno’s Flowers and Gifts on Nov. 15 in downtown Iowa City, realizing a longtime goal to own his own flower shop. Long Para:2 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- “Flowers bring happiness, with their smell and their colors, when people receive them,” Ocampo said. “Everyone loves flowers.”Long Para:2 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- Ocampo, who grew up in Mexico, opened his first business in that country at the age of 19.Long Para:3 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- “It was a small gift shop — only about 300 square feet,” he recalled. “I did decorations with balloons for parties and a few weddings with flowers but not much. I had no experience.”Long Para:4 Long Pra Total: 11 Total Para Total: 25-- A year or two later, Ocampo moved to... https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/business/iowa-city-benos-flowers-floral-shop-florist-flower-20190121
Citizen of the Year: Catlins fantastic florist - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette
Tuesday, January 08, 2019She also worked at J.C. Penney in Danville, where she met her husband, Tim, then a manager trainee.She and Tim married in May 1987. That October, Tim's job with the department store took them to Iowa and then Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming and Minnesota. In Nebraska, Welsh — who continued to work as a florist out west — directed community theater, served on the Miss Nebraska Pageant board of directors and directed the pageant for three years. In Wyoming, she was involved with the Cheyenne Frontier Days, billed as the world's largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration.In 2004, the couple and their young son, Tanner, moved back to Catlin to be near family. A couple of years later, Welsh opened Floral-n-Flair, a flower shop and event-planning business, in the same downtown building she started out in. She and business partner Kay Smoot also own and operate a gift boutique called Pauline's Attic.Welsh was working one evening when Stutsman popped in."Who got it, and how are we going to decorate?" she asked, thinking he'd stopped by to discuss the Citizen of the Year banquet at the Methodist Church, which she decorates.She was floored by his answer."It still hasn't sunk in," she said, the day before the banquet.While honored, Welsh was quick to acknowledge her "crew," including local high school students and residents who help her set up for community events, weddings and parties — and family. Tanner, who turns 21 this month, has autism, and Tim is his full-time caregiver and still finds time to help out at work."I wouldn't be able to do any of this without him," she said."It's always been a team effort," she continued, adding she learned that from her dad who helped out in many ways at the shop and home before he passed away a couple of years ago.Welsh recalled sitting at the family table years ago after her brother became a 1,000-yard rusher on his high school football team."My dad pointed to his picture on the front of the sports page and said, 'He wouldn't have done that without his line that blocked for him.' I've always remembered that. You can't do it alone. You have to surround yourself with good people and work as a team."... http://www.news-gazette.com/noelle-mcgee/2018-11-01/citizen-the-year-catlins-fantastic-florist.html
The Art of Flowers: Carolyne Roehm will speak about her career in fashion, design and gardening
Tuesday, October 30, 2018I love them all,” she said. “When you decorate them and build some of them and do all that, it gets difficult to leave.”As a girl, she had family in Iowa, and remembers celebrating a few Christmases in Cedar Rapids — but hasn’t been back since the 1950s.Even as she’s lived in New York and Paris, she’s always carried a Midwestern sensibility with her, she said.“I really like Midwesterners. There’s just something cozy about them and something positive about people from the Midwest. I think that’s been a plus for me,” she said. “It’s served me in life, being open and friendly.”If you go• What: Cedar Rapids Garden Club luncheon, lecture and book signing with Carolyne Roehm• Where: Cedar Rapids Country Club, 500 27th St. Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids• When: 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 7• Cost: $85 to $100• What: Patron party: Cocktails and conversation with Carolyne Roehm• Where: 2345 Linden Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids• When: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6• Cost: $85• Tickets for both events: cedarrapidsgardenclub.com/events.htmll Comments: (319) 398-8339; alison.gowans@thegazette.com ... https://www.thegazette.com/subject/life/books/the-art-of-flowers-carolyne-roehm-will-speak-about-her-career-in-fashion-design-and-gardening-20181027
